Neighbourhood: Annex

Location: The area around University of Toronto, roughly Bloor Street West between Avenue Road and Bathurst Street. Transit: Bathurst or Spadina subway stations.

Bohemia and academia meet head on in this lively downtown community surrounding the University of Toronto. Stretching for a kilometre along Bloor Street West the Annex offers visitors an intoxicating blend of beautiful old homes, art galleries, theatres, beatnik coffee shops, bookstores, discount stores, restaurants and bars.

Idle away a few hours during the day, browsing through the terrific book and music stores or strolling the picturesque grounds of the U of T. Philosopher’s Walk, which runs south from Bloor and starts between the ROM and the Royal Conservatory, is an Instagram-worthy locale.

When evening falls, the Annex turns into one of the busiest areas of town, with people flocking to the many restaurants, bars and patios offering food and drink from all around the world. It is a prime example of Toronto’s diversity at its very best.